Smartphones are way more than just Snap Chat filters and aesthetic Instagram themes. If used correctly they can make your life easier and definitely simpler. Not just that, they can even save your lives in various ways. Few of the ways your smartphone can help you out in critical situations are:

  1. Weather Nudges

Don’t you just hate how whenever you’re without an umbrella, New York starts to drip? Or when you’re well equipped for the chilly weather and suddenly the Sun decides to come out to sweat the bejesus out of you? Well, to keep yourself from the surprises Mother Nature throws at you, use your smartphone wisely.

Be it an iPhone or an Android, you can always check the weather beforehand and be prepared accordingly. Now to say that these weather reports are hundred percent accurate won’t be wise but they’re definitely pretty close and successfully provide close predictions. These weather reports are built in your smartphones and hence, free!

  1. Medical Apps

There are various medical apps which connect you to the Physician directly at any given time of the day or year. These applications are designed to treat conditions as simple as headaches to serious medical injuries. One of the top Telehealth Companies, Lemonaid Health offers an alternative for individuals who are unable to access conventional medical help. With that, applications like that of American Red Cross First Aid app provides you with an extensive list of procedures that you can treat not just fevers but also something as critical as heart attacks.

  1. Navigate!

It’s difficult to remember directions and it definitely gets trickier when you decide to try a new restaurant or when you’re in a new city. In such situations, your smartphones come in handy. To make sure you make full use out of your smart phone and save that extra gas, download an offline map before you leave. This trick will help you even in times when the signals bail on you.

In addition to that, you can always turn to the Google Maps’ application which besides being free covers almost all the areas around town. With that, if you’re running low on data, you can totally operate it offline as well. For that, you just have to start the navigation when you have Wi-Fi availability and it will continue to guide you even when you’re off the internet!

  1. Record that Crime!

Smartphones are capable of doing things we might never have anticipated. They can help in saving not just your life but many others’ as well. With applications like Periscope and Meerkat, you can record a crime scene. Not just that, these applications automatically upload, save and even stream what your phone is witnessing for many others. This way you can be a useful asset in an investigation and save many others from the heinous crimes.

Moreover, with the insane situations we might find ourselves in, apps like Mobile Justice help you in recording over-policing, racial profiling and excessive use of force and submitting it to your local ACLU department. Mobile Justice has versions for multiple cities all around the country.

  1. Light the Way

Darkness is not just scary but also dangerous. It is all fun and games when you’re with your friends in the middle of nowhere, until the sky turns dark. Don’t worry, your smartphone has your back! At a time like this, you can totally make use of your smartphone’s flashlight.

Most smartphones come with flashlights which has wider range than we would expect and can definitely help you get away from all the horrifying creatures there might be in the woods. With that, since these flashlights are built in, they surprisingly tend to not drain out your phone’s battery too much. Not just that, there are various applications like that of Night Vision which was originally developed for military use and so can be used for purposes such as navigation, surveillance, security and targeting.

Technology never fails to surprise us with its pros and cons. Where smartphones are capable of saving your life, they are also capable of causing serious damage to your health by adversely affecting your vision and even brain which is why it is imperative that they are used in moderation.